I think that there is something symbolic about the first sunrise of the year. Every day that dawns is a new opportunity to do something worthwhile with my life; but the first day of a new year brings about an awakening that I have the whole year ahead of me to do something worthwhile.
Leading up to January 1, the skies above Cochrane appeared as nothing but a grey mass of cloud that only got a little lighter at sunrise—there was no sun to be seen. How encouraging I found it to start New Year’s day, indeed the start of the year, with the warm colour of the sunrise. I mention only the warm colour, because the air was freezing at -27°C.
Every New Year’s Day I try to lay down a few goals for myself. These goals have to be achievable, so I’ve dropped that erstwhile yearly goal of bringing my weight down to what it was when I was fifty.
A phrase I used during my project management years was, “what is measured is done”. I think it is only fair that I apply this maxim to my last year’s goals that I committed to on New Year’s Day, 2021. So, here goes.
2021 Goal | Accomplishment |
Create new photography projects, which will be more about people than landscape. | I made a few images in the city (Calgary) that included people, but the main project was to update all the photo prints of my grandchildren. That was not only an enjoyable exercise, it produced some wonderful family records. |
Place my book that I published last year (2020), Come Home Jack, into the bookstores at The Nanton Bomber Museum and The Hanger Museum at McCall Field in Calgary. | Once again, I ran into Covid with this goal. These museums were open, but there wasn’t the same traffic through them compared to other years. I have to make a significant investment to get the required copies printed for the stores in the museums, so I decided to hold off yet again. |
Get to work on a new book of fiction. | This has gone well. I prepared a part of the story, had it reviewed by a few people, and then started to flesh it out and do a lot of rewrighting. Much rework was done only in my head, but I wrote some of it down. These books of fiction take a long time, so I’m still happy with progress. |
Submit a couple of completed short stories to Canadian writers’ magazines. | I have one written, along with the submittal letter. However, I've procrastinated because I’m not sure the publication I picked will want it. I admit it, fear of failure set in. It’s going out next week, no matter what. Brave or what? |
Attending painting and photography exhibits in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia. | I went to a few in Calgary, but we didn’t do any travelling in 2021, so this was not achieved. |
Exhibit my photography at a solo exhibition at the Alberta Society of Artists (ASA) Gallery in Calgary. | I hung the exhibit at the gallery, but the lockdown wasn’t lifted so nobody saw the hung prints. I did create a virtual tour and that was available on the ASA YouTube channel. I have republished this on my own website and you can find it here. |
Now, to turn to 2022. I’m not making any new commitments this year. The Omicron variant of the virus that is creating yet another wave of Covid cases now, in January, has taken away my confidence in doing so. Who knows what future waves of the virus we have yet to see.
However, I will keep up with my creative interests. This includes these little essays of mine. Recently I’ve been writing about one per week, but I can’t say this frequency will continue. I write them as they come to me; however, I will try to get out at least one a month.
I still have significant work to do on my website and I hope I’ll be able to show you my progress as I complete new layouts and other features.
My photography gallery will definitely be a focus for me. I need to populate it with many more of my images, but, more importantly, I need to learn how to improve the navigation within the gallery section of my website.
I wish you all a Happy New Year. Thank you for your visits to my site. Having your interest in my writings and art is definitely a motivator to focus on my creative side.
I could not have commented any better than Tamara did, so I’ll just say ditto to all that she said! Happy New Year! Ed
Thank you Jack. Thank you for your essays of inspiration and generously sharing the beauty of your photography with us. You remind us always what is at hand in this province and beyond that makes us blessed to live here. Your picture on the first of a new year is a symbol that the sun continues to rise each day and despite everything, we have much to be grateful for, and we still have much to accomplish! Looking forward to your essays and work in the coming months.
Happy New year, Tamara
😀 Great photo. I agree about making commitments in 2022. It’ll be a one day at a time year.
I’ve been pleased to see the more frequent essays. Thanks Jack.
Happy New Year Jack, to you and your family. Like you I've given up on the annual Resolution business and am now focussing on Revolution. The revelation that my commitment to upholding my resolutions has failed to meet the test, brings me to this new stage (at these tender years) of really having to kick it up a notch! Revolution it is!